"Lean into courage and see what happens." - Eila Park Robertson
"Lean into courage and see what happens." - Elia Park Robertson
Former ABC News journalist, award‑winning filmmaker, and crisis communications strategist Eila Park Robertson joins Curated Questions to explore what happens “when listening saves democracy.”
Drawing from a childhood navigating violence, immigration, and loneliness, Eila shares how asking genuine questions became her superpower for building trust with people who would never normally talk to the media. She explains why Western culture has forgotten how to listen, how that loss feeds polarization, and what it really takes to build bridges across political and ideological divides, starting with presence, curiosity, and courage.
Eila and Ken dive into introverts as secret leaders of the room, why outrage‑only politics is burning us out, and how personal relationships can transform deeply held beliefs. They also explore climate storytelling, South Korea’s fight against authoritarianism, and practical ways to resist despair and rebuild community in an age of fractured attention.
This Curated Questions episode can be found on all major platforms and at CuratedQuestions.com.
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Episode Notes
00:00 Welcome to Curated Questions
02:11 Meet Eila Park Robertson
03:29 First Power of Questions
05:12 Journalism Dreams and Role Models
06:37 Inside ABC Interview Prep
08:05 Diane Versus Barbara Styles
09:15 Trust Over Perfect Questions
11:07 Breaking Barriers and Generations
14:12 Setting Tone and Presence
15:23 We Forgot How to Listen
16:19 Childhood Roots of Listening
17:38 Earning Trust Under Deadline
19:30 Building Intuition in Conversation
20:10 Silence as Interview Tool
22:03 Creating Space With Pauses
24:35 Nuance in Divisive Times
29:25 Bridge Building With Family
30:30 Introverts Lead the Room
35:49 Empaths and Surprise Questions
38:44 Jane Goodall and Curiosity
43:36 Climate Messaging That Lands
49:04 Attention Economy and Algorithms
50:57 Long Form Is Coming Back
53:38 Right Wing Pulse
54:39 Conservative To Progressive
55:50 Inclusion Blind Spots
56:30 Relationships Spark Change
57:59 George Floyd Awakening
58:51 Seeing Unequal Freedom
59:53 Courage To Burn It
01:00:19 Family Secret Domino
01:02:20 Why Korea Matters
01:04:07 Martial Law Stopped
01:06:13 Democracy Is Fragile
01:07:12 We Are Korean Mindset
01:08:52 Building We Are American
01:12:17 Hope Through Activation
01:16:11 Staying Out Of Despair
01:18:33 Rebuilding Community IRL
01:22:29 Comms Against Dehumanization
01:26:33 Empathy Versus Fear
01:30:03 Home Exchange Idea
01:31:37 Relationships Change Hearts
01:33:35 Right Now Question Courage
01:35:18 Where To Find Me
Resources Mentioned
Vogue Magazine Wedding Article
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
Azzedine Downes, CEO IFAW
Eila on Instagram (@eila2.2)